Petition from a committee of free 'coloured' inhabitants of Montserrat, extract. Montserrat, 1823.

Catalogue reference: CO 318/76 folio 150.

Transcript:

Montserrat
To Henry Maddock and Fortunatus
Dwarris Esquires, His Majesty’s
Commissioners of Inquiry into the
Administration of Justice in the
Windward and Leeward Islands.

We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being a Committee of the Free Coloured Inhabitants of this Island of Montserrat, Humbly beg leave to represent, that they in common with this description of His Majestys Subjects in the other Islands, are grieved at the want of those Rights and Privileges to which they are entitled as good and faithful Subjects – And that they have Petitioned the Legislature of the Island, to remove all those unjust restraints and disabilities which are imposed upon them by the Usages and Customs of the Island, and to place them on an equal footing with the rest of the inhabitants, not more obedient to the Laws, faithful in their Allegiance, or more deeply interested in the Welfare and good Government of the Island, than are the Free Coloured Inhabitants. But from the feeling of Opposition manifested by the House of Assembly (the principal source of relief in such cases) on the presentation of our Petition, We are induced to Conclude that no favourable attention will be paid to our just complaints.